Seeing Reason
by S.H. Brookes
Summary: A story set in the world of Harry Potter, using characters by JK Rowling, in which the ending has been altered and the interactions of characters diverge from the original plot canon. New chapter every two-three days or so. Slow burn. (Sorry for the lack of indents at the start of every new paragraph. I couldn't get that function to work!)
1. Introduction

**SEEING REASON,** by S.H. Brookes

(Please PM me and then

give me credit if you'd like to use my ideas. Thank youuu! )

A story set in the world of Harry Potter, using characters by JK Rowling, in which the ending

has been altered and the interactions of characters diverge from the original plot canon.

Any descriptions or information I use either come from personal research,

the Harry Potter Books, or the Harry Potter Wiki page. If you're wondering

where an idea comes from, don't hesitate to message me.

Some of these ideas are original;

but most, of course, come from the rightful author.

 **Pairings:**

Hermione Granger & Severus Snape

Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley

Draco Malfoy & Delaney Fairfax (original character)

 **Original Characters** © by **S.H. Brookes** **2019 (mine)** **:**

Delaney Fairfax (and her father Honestus Greengrass Fairfax)

Marianne Gallagher

James Kitterington

Laramie Bosley

Carlyle Caruso

Victoire & Thaddeus Boulanger

Friedrich Fuller

Amory Kissinger

Simeon Fitzhenry

Jane & Jonathan 'Jack' Davenport

The portrait of Victor the Vainglorious.

Granger Ollivander, Master Arithmancer turned Muggle.

 **Original Spells Etc.** © by **S.H. Brookes** **2019 (mine)** **:** (so far, but more to come)

 _Mutare Sententiam Avertas,_ counter-spell _Mutationem in Finem._

 _Et Oblinito Sanandum._ Sealing Spell for Potions.

The Agastya Antivenin potion.

The Time-Traveller's Tonic potion.

Incantation for the Bubblehead Charm: _Ebullio respirare._

Stasis Charm: _Habitus exponentia._

Assessment Charm: _Perpendere persigno._

Potioneers' Panacea remedial draught & _Remedium Accidente_ (Sealing Spell).

 _Seers Through the Ages: A Horrid History,_ by Roseus Pernix,

 _Moste Vyle Curses._

 _Purebloods and Hogwarts._

 _Breaking Curses_ by Ignace Jakoby.

 _Adflicto Hereditatem:_ The Countercurse for The Heirloom Curse.

The _Pereo/_ _Resurgo_ variant of the Vanishing Spell.

 **The revisited plot and ending, as well as all original characters and spells etc., are mine.**

 **Everything else (characters, world, setting, descriptions)**

 **belongs to the rightful owner and author, JK Rowling.**


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

It was the beginning of Hermione Granger's her sixth year at Hogwarts, and she was nervous. The atmosphere was tense; everyone, students and teachers alike could sense that something terrible was going to happen soon. Even Professor Trelawney was quieter than usual, shooting anxious glances at Professor Dumbledore when he wasn't looking, or muttering to herself about bad omens, and Hermione, who was widely known to be a Divination skeptic, didn't have it in her to be annoyed by the eccentric, owlish teacher. _This war affects everyone,_ thought Hermione to herself as she stared into her steaming cup of tea. _Even phonies like her._

"Hermione," said someone's voice.

Immediately, she reached for her wand, then remembered with an inward curse that it was packed in her suitcase. She snapped her fingers expertly, and her 10¾ inch vine wood wand appeared in the palm of her hand. With swift reflexes, she jabbed the wand toward the person who had spoken, sitting in a tense position that screamed 'I _will_ hex you and it _will_ hurt if you don't explain yourself right this minute.'

She was met with the wide blue-eyed stare of Ronald Weasley, who put his hands up placatingly.

Hermione relaxed, and huffed out a long sigh, putting the wand away. "Honestly, Ronald, be careful. I almost hexed you."

He had the good grace to shoot her an abashed grin as he sat down. "Wandless magic, 'Mione? Why am I not surprised." When Hermione smiled softly, he continued. "So, anyway — d'you think you're up to a visit to Hogsmeade with me and Harry tonight? Tomorrow's Saturday, you know."

She looked at Harry, to Ron, and back again. She sighed. "No, I don't think so, Ron. I have studying to catch up on."

The boys grinned and exchanged a meaningful look. Some things never changed.

Nevertheless, Harry shrugged and stood up. "We thought you might. Send us an owl or something if you need anything, yeah?" he said. She smiled and nodded, before watching the two boys walk away, laughing and shoving each other as they went.

Hermione's smile faded and she stared into her tea cup. In recent days, she'd been feeling tired and weak, and more importantly, nervous. It was as if something was looming over her head, like a great terrible thundercloud. She shuddered, and swallowed the rest of the tea. Then, she blinked in surprise when she saw the bottom of the empty cup. The tea leaves had formed tiny shapes that looked suspiciously like — no, it couldn't be. _Bats_?

Hermione's eyes flickered to where Professor Snape, 'bat of the dungeons,' was sitting at the Head Table. She frowned, and glanced down at her tea cup. The shapes had disappeared. Blinking rapidly to dispel the image of the silly thing she thought she had seen, Hermione got up from the table with her over-large bag of books, and looked down at her schedule. Double Arithmancy followed by Transfiguration, and then Double Potions — with the Slytherins, no less.

With an inward groan Hermione left the Great Hall and made her way up to the Arithmancy tower. When she arrived and sat down, class began as usual. She'd memorised _Numerology and Grammatica_ years ago _,_ as well as the _New Theory of Numerology_ (which Harry had given to her as a Christmas present last year), in preparation for the course. She was, as always, terribly excited.

"Good morning, class," said Professor Septima Vector as the door to her back office swung open seemingly of its own accord and let her into the room.

"Good morning, Professor," came the harmonious and polite response. Ravenclaws and Gryffindors made for a well-behaved class, after all.

"Today," said Vector with a gleam in her eyes, "We will be discussing Curse-Breaking. Can anyone tell me what Curse-Breaking is?"

All the hands in the room rose at once. Hermione wasn't bothered by this; quite the contrary. In her Arithmancy class with the Ravenclaws, she felt like she belonged. She didn't feel like an 'insufferable little know-it-all."

"Miss Fairfax," said Professor Vector pleasantly, pointing at a delicate blonde girl at the back of the room.

Delaney Fairfax's face brightened as she gave her answer. "Curse-Breaking is the act of removing, countering or breaking curses placed on objects or places. Some people do it for a living."

"Very good, Miss Fairfax. Five points to Ravenclaw."

None of the Ravenclaw students reacted to the addition of points to their House Cup. In their sixth year, at the dawn of a great war, they couldn't allow themselves to be excited by such silly things anymore. They were focused, alert, and while Septima Vector was proud of them, this also saddened her greatly. She knew that the happy, blissful phases of her student's lives were long gone.

All the more reason, then, for her to teach them everything she knew. She continued with renewed determination.

"It is often said that the field of Arithmancy serves as a foil to Divination, in that it might be a magical equivalent to Muggle probability calculations. If this is indeed the case, this might explain why the subject would be required for Curse-Breakers. Can anyone tell me why?"

Hermione raised her hand and smiled gently when Vector chose her.

"Thank you, Professor," she said, then gave her answer. "It would allow them to evaluate the potential success of a curse-breaking strategy without having to actually do it, meaning they could minimise the risk of failure or injury."

"Excellent, Miss Granger. Take five points to your House."

And the class went on. It was riveting, of course, and Hermione took all the notes she could, committing Vector's words to memory for later use. When Arithmancy ended, Hermione thanked Professor Vector and left to her next class: Transfiguration.

She moved into the classroom where Transfiguration for Gryffindors was normally held, and smiled when she saw a familiar cat sitting on the desk at the front of the room.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall."

As always, Hermione was first to arrive. The cat nodded in her direction and stared patiently at the door as all the students filed in, some alone, and some in groups of two or three. When all of them arrived, the cat transformed into the professor they all knew and loved so much.

"Good morning, students."

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," said the Gryffindor students.

"Today you will learn how to transfigure human beings," said Professor McGonagall, "into objects which can hide in plain sight."

The class was silent for a moment, and then exploded into whispers and loud questions. Hermione leaned forward in her seat with bright, curious eyes. When Professor McGonagall held up one aged hand, the room fell silent again.

"I will not insult you all by omitting this fact, when I know that you are perfectly capable of knowing the truth."

The room was so quiet that a pin could have dropped and they would have heard the noise.

"There is a war coming," continued Professor McGonagall, with a weary expression. "And one day soon, many of you may be on the run from… certain authorities."

She didn't need to elaborate on _which_ authorities. They all knew that she meant Death Eaters.

"There may come a time where you require an immediate disguise, and all you have with you are your wits and your wand," said Professor McGonagall. She paused. "A volunteer, please."

Hands rose into the air. Professor McGonagall ignored them all and looked directly at one student.

"Mr. Potter, if you would please stand to my left."

Hermione's eyes widened as Harry stood up slowly and placed himself next to their Head of House. She thought she could hear Professor McGonagall say, "Have no fear, Mr. Potter."

And then, Professor McGonagall waved her wand. With a series of intricate movements, and a muttered incantation, Harry Potter transformed before their eyes. The wooden panels below them cracked and groaned as Harry's legs melded into the roots of a massive tree, and those roots took grip in the floor. Harry's torso, arms and head all became one and grew into sprawling, magnificent branches. Soon, in the confines of the Transfiguration classroom, there stood an old, ancient oak tree in the place of Harry Potter.

She waved her wand again, and the roots and branches pulled away from the ceiling and floors, retracting faster and faster until, with a loud _pop!,_ Harry Potter stood before them once more with a slightly disoriented expression and a few leaves in his hair.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. Five points to Gryffindor. You may return to your seat."

She turned to the class as Harry moved to sit down.

"While a tree is not the most inconspicuous of choices, it _is_ an object which can hide in plain sight. However, a chair, for example, or a bookshelf, would achieve a similar effect. Even a rosebush would do the job satisfactorily," said Professor McGonagall. With a deep breath through her nose, she continued. "The wand motion is in the shape of a lemniscate," she said, moving her wand in a horizontal figure eight, "finished by an inverted triangle."

She paused, then said, "The incantation is _Mutare Sententiam Avertas._ Can anyone tell me what this means?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

Hermione smiled in thanks. "Well, _mutare_ comes from 'mutate,' which means 'to transform,' and ' _avertas_ ' means 'to avert,' or 'to hide from view.' _Sententiam_ comes from the root 'to feel,' or 'sentient.' So, the incantation could mean 'transform and hide from view,' specifically from the view of humans."

"Thank you, Miss Granger, that is correct. Ten points to Gryffindor."

Professor McGonagall turned to the class once more. "You will split into pairs and practice the incantation until it is perfected. The counter-incantation is _Mutationem in Finem_. The first pair to both perform the spell without error will be released early to lunch period."

Hermione paired herself with Marianne Gallagher, a witty Gryffindor with particular skills in Charms. Better that than to be paired with Ron, who seemed to be doing Seamus more harm than good over at the other end of the room. Harry was paired with Dean Thomas, who actually was quite a good wizard, and they seemed to be managing themselves without problems.

"Do you want to go first?" said Hermione. Marianne smiled and shrugged.

"Sure," she said.

Hermione nodded, narrowed her eyes. " _Mutare Sententiam Avertas._ "

The effect was immediate and elegant; Marianne spun on her heel and transformed into a white marble Roman bust, with harsh facial features so different from her own that she could never possibly be recognized, even from up close. The statue glowed faintly in the light of the classroom, and Hermione couldn't seem to keep her eyes locked on it for more than a few seconds.

That's the ' _avertas_ ' part of the incantation, thought Hermione. A bit like the Notice-Me-Not Charm. It forces you to avert your eyes.

She uttered the counter-incantation, and Marianne was back to normal, smiling brightly.

"Your turn, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded, and Marianne promptly turned her into a simple desk lamp. Hermione thought that the feeling of being transformed was not unlike the feeling of being placed under a Disillusionment Charm mixed with a sudden Apparition.

When it was over, they were both released from class. Before Hermione could leave, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to look at the owner with a question in her eyes.

"Thank you for pairing up with me," said Marianne with a kind look on her face. "I'd love to study with you some time. If you're up for it."

Hermione looked at her with a surprised expression. "Oh - sure - I mean, I'd love to." She smiled, and the two young women exchanged a look of understanding before going their separate ways to lunch break.

Hermione didn't bother to tell Harry and Ron where she was going. They would know that she in the library, as always.

To Be Continued... Soon!

The spell from Transfiguration class is my idea, and so is the scene from Arithmancy class.

 _Mutare Sententiam Avertas_ and the counter spell _Mutationem in Finem_ are mine.

Marianne and Delaney are my original characters.

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

At lunch, Hermione sat with the Weasleys and waited for Harry and Ron to return from Transfiguration class. She thought hard about ceylon tea and it appeared on a little saucer in front of her. Hermione smiled; the magical tables would never get old. After that thought, she sipped at the warm beverage.

With a happy sigh, she pulled out her notes from Arithmancy class and started looking over the section that read _Curse-Breaking_ in her own cursive handwriting. She wrapped her hands around her warm tea cup for comfort and started reading.

Eventually, her tea was finished, and she looked up from her notes (twenty-one pages in total) with a slight frown of concentration on her face. The boys still hadn't shown up. What _could_ they be up to?

She shook her head in bemusement and looked down into her tea cup with a faraway look on her face. Her frown deepened when the shapes at the bottom of the ceramic vessel seemed to grow closer and closer. Soon, they filled her field of vision, until everything in front of her eyes became the murky black color of ceylon tea. In a panic, her eyes flickered up to the Head Table, and from the inside of her mind, she screamed for help. Three sets of eyes — twinkling blue, piercing black, and owlishly bespectacled hazel — looked up from their plates to find the source of the cry that had broken through their mental barriers. Without meaning to, Hermione made eye contact with the Potions professor, and, almost absently, Hermione could feel herself slipping from her seat. Her world spun, and she slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Meanwhile, the inside of her mind became a chaotic storm, and with her Inner Eye (it seemed Trelawney hadn't been wrong after all), she saw the future.

* * *

When Hermione woke up, she could see a million words, and ghosts, bubbling up to reach the surface of her mind. She knew instinctively that these were possibilities. Things that _could_ or _would_ happen. Disjointed phrases. Unbreakable Vows. Unforgivable Curses. People, alive and dead. She could hear them all, she could see their faces. She saw Fred Weasley falling from his broom. She saw Hedwig sacrificing her life to save Harry. She saw Lavender Brown having her throat torn to pieces by a werewolf. She saw herself, being tortured by a wild-haired, mad-looking witch.

In this mess of memories and maybes _,_ Hermione saw a face that instinctively made her pause. She grasped curiously at that image, and hissed in surprise when she felt a pull at her navel, not unlike the uncomfortable sensation of travelling by Portkey. With a sudden _whoosh,_ Hermione was thrown into that memory, and she landed with a thump. Then, she grimaced when she realized that she was in the Shrieking Shack.

Hermione Jane Granger was not the brightest witch of her age for nothing. It took her almost no time at all for her to swiftly analyse and comprehend the situation in its entirety. Fighting back a new wave of memories, which at the moment were of Remus Lupin and the Whomping Willow from her third year, Hermione gasped and sat up from the floor. Memories of Divination classes in the high tower surfaced and danced before her eyes.

"I'm having a vision," she said, realization dawning on her face. She glanced around the room curiously.

Inevitably, her eyes quickly landed on the motionless body that lay in front of her.

"Oh, sweet Merlin," she said, horrified. "Oh, no." She stood shakily and ran to the man's side, but when she went to touch him, her hand went straight through.

"Professor Snape?" she said softly. " _Ennervate."_ Nothing. She whimpered and tried again. " _Ennervate."_ She felt a stinging in her eyes, a sign of tears threatening to overflow, and she realized that he wasn't going to wake up. "Oh, god, no. No no no."

Professor Snape's skin was sickly pale, and had a sheen of sweat that signalled the sort of fever that only came from severe venom poisoning. His black form-fitting robes, which formerly had been an extension of himself, billowing wherever he went, now lay still, drenched in blood. His hair covered his face like a black veil, and his eyes, which had once been known around the world their intelligence and unforgiving intensity, were open now, lifeless. Their expression was frozen morbidly in a way that suggested he had resigned himself to his fate before being murdered. His throat was punctured by gaping holes which could only be fang wounds, and Hermione recognized them. Mr. Weasley had suffered similar bites during her fifth year. These were the same shape and size, and Hermione knew that they had been left behind by none other than Nagini, Lord Voldemort's snake and familiar. Blood that had once been red now ran black and puddled around the Professor in a shape that perversely reminded Hermione of the snow-angels she had made as a child.

"Professor, I'm so sorry." _Even if he was mean sometimes, and even if he could_ _be snarky and rude, he_ _doesn't deserve this. I think I'm going to be sick._

But before she could say or think anything else, Hermione felt another pull behind her navel, and she was whisked away somewhere else. She landed with a thump, and looked up to see a nightmarish scene. A circle of Death Eaters, with one man crumpled in the middle. The Death Eaters laughed and cackled with glee as they threw curse after curse at the screaming, folded body. She paled when Lord Voldemort himself materialized from the outer rings of the group. He waved his wand, and uttered a spell.

" _Crucio_ ," he hissed in a high, cold voice.

She looked on in horror as the spell hit the man who lay twitching and screaming on the ground. His body convulsed, and suddenly, she saw his face. It was Severus Snape.

"Not again," she said under her breath. She had already seen him dead once; twice was too much to bear. "Leave him alone. Please, stop hurting him. Let him be. He didn't do anything wrong." She stared at the man on the ground with a rising feeling of desperation. "Poor Professor." She swallowed, and her eyes stung. "Oh, someone make them stop. Make _it_ stop."

" _Sectumsempra_ ," cried Lord Voldemort, seemingly completely ignorant of Hermione's pleas.

"No," Hermione said. She let out a whimper. "He doesn't deserve this. Please. Please stop."

The scene changed, and the last thing she saw was a pair of desolate, empty black eyes, and a man in so much pain that he couldn't even remember his own name.

The image wavered before her, and suddenly, she was pulled away from the Death Eater gathering, into a new memory. This time, she landed on her feet, and barely felt nauseous at all — until she remembered what she had just seen. She swallowed thickly, looked up, and gasped when she met the gaze of Albus Dumbledore.

"Miss Granger," said the Headmaster. She squirmed under the intensity of his twinkling gaze. "What an unexpected surprise." He paused, then smiled softly. "Well, no matter. Please, take a seat. Another guest will be joining us soon."

Hermione nodded and sat down, in a daze. Moments later, the door of the office was slammed open, and the portraits on the walls protested at the intruder's rudeness.

"Dumbledore," snarled Professor Snape. Hermione let out a choked noise, but the Potions Master neither heard nor saw her. "You knew."

"Knew what, my dear boy?"

"I'll have none of that, Dumbledore. You _knew_ the Potter boy had to die, and you never told me."

Dumbledore sighed. "Severus, I need you to understand. It has to be this way."

Professor Snape had a haunted look in his normally expressionless eyes. " _Expecto Patronum,_ " he croaked. A silvery doe leapt out of his wand and danced around the room. Professor Dumbledore watched it with an expression of disbelief.

"It can't be. After all this time?" he asked.

Professor Snape nodded curtly, and said nothing else. He suddenly looked very tired, as though he'd just had a massive weight placed on his shoulders. In that moment Hermione decided that she had never seen a man more broken, and she almost thought he was human. Almost.

Hermione gasped as she was pulled away from this memory and dumped into another one. She looked around in confusion, but she was still in the Headmaster's office, still in the same seat. This time, both Professors had identical expressions of weariness.

She watched Professor Dumbledore as he waved his hand in a weak salutation — the damaged one — in the direction of the Potions Master. Professor Snape's gaze flickered to the blackened hand and instantly grew furious.

"What in Merlin's name did you do to yourself?"

"It was a mistake," sighed Dumbledore. "A silly mistake."

"A _mistake_?" said Snape. He growled. "You stupid, old fool. Why didn't you call me sooner? Why didn't you send your Patronus?"

With that, he got to work, performing a number of intricate spells that had Hermione watching with wide, admiring eyes. Some minutes later, after potions had been administered and the Headmaster's hand had been bound by a number of Healing charms, Professor Snape ran a hand through his lank hair and sighed.

"It's not much, but it should buy you some time."

A moment's silence.

"Severus, I need you to do something for me."

" _What_ ," snapped Professor Snape. Hermione winced and looked sympathetically at Professor Dumbledore.

"Draco Malfoy has been given a task," said Professor Dumbledore. His eyes were grave. "His orders have changed, and he means to kill me."

"Yes. I am aware."

"He _cannot_ be the one to kill me, Severus."

Professor Snape stifferened, then sneered. "Why? Afraid of damaging his soul _,_ Albus?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, actually. I am."

They were silent for a moment.

"You have six months to live, at best, Dumbledore," said Professor Snape. "What difference does it make?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "It makes all the difference, Severus." He paused. "If I may be so bold…. I would like for you to do it."

Hermione gasped. Professor Snape, again, did not see or hear that she was there, and he raised an eyebrow.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You must kill me, Severus." The Potions Master was dangerously silent as Albus continued. "Protect Harry, and when the time comes, find it in yourself to put an old man out of his misery."

"And what of _my_ soul, Albus?" pressed Professor Snape in strained, low tones. "What of mine?"

"Your soul will not be damaged by the act. You would be saving an innocent man from an even worse fate. _That_ is not anything to be ashamed of, Severus, and certainly nothing that would damage your soul."

There was no noise in the room except the sound of Professor Snape's breathing, which was faster now that he was so angry. Hermione watched him nervously.

Then, suddenly, he stood. "Fine."

He swept from the room, leaving Hermione to stare at Professor Dumbledore in disbelief.

"Miss Granger, a word of advice," said the Headmaster, eyes twinkling. "When practicing the art of Seeing, it is crucial to avoid making eye contact with bystanders in the immediate area, especially in the few precious seconds before you enter your trance." He paused. "You see, failing to avoid eye contact results in events such as this," continued the elderly wizard, gesturing between the two of them,"in which the Seer may experience a variety of… _unwanted_ visions."

Hermione mumbled something, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Not an issue, you say? Well. I can't imagine that you particularly desired to look into Severus Snape's future, hm, Miss Granger?" said the old wizard with a twinkle in his eye.

She grew slightly green around the gills. Shook her head. "N-no. No sir."

With a serene smile, he clasped his hands together, and said, "I had thought not." He paused when the grandfather clock above his head struck the hour. "Ah. Pardon me, Miss Granger, but I do believe it is time for you to go."

Hermione barely had the time to let out a gasp of surprise before he waved his hand, and she was jerked back to her reality.

To Be Continued... Soon!

The seeing-into-the-future idea in this chapter is mine.

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

When Hermione opened her eyes, she was on the floor, looking up at an enchanted sky. She could hear curious whispers, voices that were telling people to 'Move out of the way,' and a ringing in her ears. She was disoriented.

A hand came into her field of vision. A man's hand. The fingers snapped once. Twice. Three times. Gradually, the ringing went away and she was able to focus on the hand in front of her as she drew in deep breaths to ease the racing of her heart.

"It would seem that she is aware of her surroundings at last, Headmaster," drawled a voice sarcastically. She looked up with blurry eyes. Taking care to protect and Occlude her private thoughts from his prying gaze, she looked at him carefully, comparing his face with the memory of his dead body. Once she was satisfied that he wasn't injured, or dying, or being tortured, and that he was in generally good health — or as good health as she had ever seen him in, pale skin and all — she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Sir," she said, weakly. Her voice was hoarse.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" came the cold reply. Professor Snape watched Hermione warily, as though she had grown several extra heads.

"It's good to see you, sir." She smiled weakly.

Before he could say anything in response, she passed out.

* * *

The Great Hall was in an uproar. Had Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Know-It-All and Snape-skeptic, just spoken in positive terms about the dreaded Potions professor? The world had flipped upside down, or at least, Ron certainly thought so. Harry, if anything, was mainly worried for his dear friend. It wasn't like Hermione to faint in the Great Hall, after all.

The two young men went together to see her in the infirmary in the hours that followed, where they found her sleeping restlessly and fighting off a tenacious fever. Madame Pomfrey made several trips to and from the Potions stores with a concerned expression, while Professor Trelawney trailed closely behind her, insisting that she had 'Seen that this would happen' and that the whole event was 'a bad omen.'

Harry and Ron exchanged worried looks while Trelawney rambled on, and continued to look worried until Madame Pomfrey sternly told Professor Trelawney to 'Please leave the infirmary until further notice,' at which point both of the young men seemed to relax before the elderly matron's eyes.

"Sybill really is a harmless creature," said Madame Pomfrey placatingly as she tipped a purple vial of potion into a cup of pumpkin juice. "She means well."

Harry raised his eyebrows in uncertainty. "Riiight. Of course." He looked at Ron, who nodded encouragingly. "I'm sorry, erm, Madame Pomfrey, I was just wondering…"

"Yes, dear?"

"D'you know what happened to Hermione? I mean, why did she faint?"

Madame Pomfrey opened her mouth but was interrupted by another voice.

"That is an excellent question, Harry," said Albus Dumbledore from the doors of the infirmary. He walked forward — or rather, glided in his polka dotted robes — and twinkled at them all as he spoke. "Miss Granger is merely experiencing the consequences of sleep-deprivation and stress. She has been spending late hours of the night studying. I am certain that you are both quite familiar with the habit?"

When the boys nodded, Professor Dumbledore smiled, and the old man's grin seemed to light up his face like a Christmas tree. "Well, then you both must know that there is really no need for concern. A long nap and a Pepper-Up potion, and Miss Granger will be as good as new in no time at all," said the polka-dot-clad wizard.

Ron seemed reassured. Harry, however, did not look as convinced.

"But, sir, what if it happens again?" he said.

Professor Dumbledore's smile shrank, but only a little. "I believe, Harry, that we must cross that bridge when we come to it."

And with that, he patted both of the boys on their heads, offered them lemon drops — which he had magically summoned from his office — and when they politely declined the offer, he cheerfully popped one into his mouth, said 'Good day' to Madame Pomfrey, and glided off, humming the tune to a Muggle song on the way out.

Both Harry and Ron watched the wizard as he exited the room. At length, Ron spoke.

"Dumbledore's bonkers. Brilliant, but bonkers."

Harry's lips quirked up slightly at the joke. "Yeah, you mentioned that." He paused, then sighed. "Well, come on, Ron. Let's visit Hermione later. We've got a Potions class to go to."

Ron stopped walking, horror dawning on his face. "Merlin, Double Potions. With the _Slytherins_. And _Snape_." He shuddered.

Harry rubbed his forehead. "Tell me about it, mate."

Both of them seemed to have forgotten that Madame Pomfrey was in the room. She didn't mind, and she watched the two young men with a soft smile on her face as they left the infirmary, quietly and respectfully, before closing the doors behind them.

Not long after, Hermione woke up from her fever. The colour was slowly returning to her cheeks, and, aside from feeling slightly disoriented, there was nothing wrong with her at all. She could remember everything that had happened, of course. Especially those terrible memories…

"Oh, there you are, Miss Granger! Back to the world of the living."

Hermione looked up, startled. "Mm?"

"I'm terribly sorry to have scared you, dear, but you're awake, and that is excellent news," said Madame Pomfrey, giving her the cup of pumpkin juice she'd kept aside. "Here you are. This is an adaptation of Pepper-Up which should clear off any signs of that nasty fever you had — Professor Snape made it specifically for you, isn't that kind of him?"

Hermione nodded absently and accepted the cup before downing its contents. It tasted like cinnamon. She knew that Healing potions could have flavors, but had never experienced pleasant-tasting potions before.

She was suddenly reminded of her failed trial with her first batch of horrid-tasting Polyjuice Potion in second year, and shuddered at the memory of it. It really _had_ tasted like goblin piss.

Hermione's thoughts were interrupted when Madame Pomfrey spoke again.

"And this one is Time-Traveller's Tonic. _I_ don't understand it by all accounts, but it seems as though you were recently propelled into the future, Miss Granger. It was quite a violent jump, to be sure, judging by its effects on you, and a poorly executed jump at that."

Hermione, offended that Madame Pomfrey would think her first experience as a Seer was 'poorly executed,' opened her mouth to speak. Instead, she received a mouthful of Time-Traveller's Tonic. It tasted like peppermint. Odd.

Madame Pomfrey cheerfully went about her business, and ran one last check up before clearing Hermione for the day.

"You can go, dear. Your books and things were brought up to your dormitory by one of the house elves." She turned away, then changed her mind and spoke again. "Miss Granger…. mind that you watch your words around Professor Trelawney. As I was telling Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley not three quarters of an hour ago, she truly does mean well, but often can unknowingly be the cause of trouble. She likes to meddle in things that ought not to be meddled with."

Hermione smiled at those last words, which reminded her oddly of something Hagrid had once said. Oh, and Harry and Ron had visited her, that was nice of them.

She ignored what Madame Pomfrey said about Professor Trelawney, because after all, it had been her own vision that had caused her fainting spell, and not the Divination professor's.

"Thank you very much, Madame Pomfrey, for helping me, and for your what you said just now. I'll try to keep your advice in mind."

Of course, being the brightest witch of her age, Hermione had already memorized the Healer's words.

"Mm. See that you do," said Madame Pomfrey with a knowing look in her eyes. "Take care, dear."

With a smile and a nod, Hermione left the infirmary. She cast a quick _Tempus_ with her watch, and her eyes widened. Only three o'clock? She could still make it for the last half-hour of Potions class! She _Accio_ 'ed her things from her dormitory and caught them expertly when they came soaring at her. Soon, she was on a mad dash to the Potions dungeons, hoping desperately that Professor Snape wouldn't murder her for being so late.

To Be Continued... Soon!

The Time-Traveller's Tonic is my idea.

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	5. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Thank you so much for your reviews, favs, and follows!

Thank you especially to users who left comments on my story. Feedback is a writer's sharpest tool!

dethwatch: "Really like your story, hope to read more soon."

NatFord123: "Please continue! I really like where this is going! I love how it's from the point of view of Hermione."

Thank you all. *hearts*

Now - onward with the story!

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

Hermione was panting by the time she arrived at the Potions classroom. She lifted her hand and knocked three times, and the door swung open to let her in. Professor Snape didn't look up from what he was writing on the blackboard.

"Miss Granger. Late once again. Sit."

The class tittered, and Hermione flushed slightly pink. She swallowed her anger and went to find a seat. The only one available was next to Draco Malfoy, who for some reason was sitting alone.

"Draco," she whispered. The blonde boy looked up and she was shocked to see how pale and gaunt he'd become. "Can I sit next to you?" When he didn't seem to understand, she said, "Malfoy?"

He nodded wordlessly and — this shocked her more than his gauntness and sunken cheeks — cleared a space for her so that she could set up her cauldron and brewing materials.

"Thank you," she whispered. And she sat down happily. Professor Snape finally turned away from the blackboard to give his instructions, sneering.

"Today we will be brewing the Agastya Antivenin. Who can accurately list its properties?"

Hermione didn't raise her hand. She was too tired to answer any questions, and besides, something about Draco was niggling at her mind. What _was_ it? She thought long and hard about it; where had she heard about Draco recently? Why was it important?

"Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor for staring blankly into space," he drawled.

Hermione looked up with wide eyes. "Sir," she said in protest. She was about to continue, but then saw the dark circles under the Professor's piercing eyes. She ducked her head. "Sorry, sir. It won't happen again."

Something shifted on Professor Snape's face, a faint flicker of surprise, but it was gone as soon as it came.

"See that it does not." He paused. "Perhaps _you_ could list the properties of the Agastya Antivenin, Miss Granger. Or would your incessant daydreaming prevent you from giving a correct answer?"

The Slytherins snickered, and Hermione sighed. She knew that the Agastya Antivenin was first brewed by Agastya, a Vedic sage from around 1200 BCE, who adapted the potion when his wife Lopamudra was wounded by hybrid python.

"The antivenin was brewed using hoof shavings of a kelpie, wing clippings of a thestral, and Murtlap essence mixed with a measured and diluted solution of Dittany." She paused, then frowned, looking up at Professor Snape.

"Sir, may I ask a question?"

The room froze in shock. Hermione Granger, asking a question?

Professor Snape sneered and said what was on all of their minds. "It would be a first." When she continued waiting patiently, he fought the urge to snarl, and waved his hand. "Ask."

"Thank you, sir. It's just — wouldn't Lopamudra have suffered from blood loss?" asked Hermione, eyebrows meeting in the middle as she frowned more deeply. "If the thestral clippings prevented hallucinations and the kelpie shavings counteracted the venom, that would remove the risk of heart and brain failure. I suppose the puncture wounds would close thanks to Murtlap and Dittany — but how long would that take? It wouldn't be enough. She would have bled out."

She looked up at Professor Snape. "There would have to be a spell, wouldn't there sir? To seal the potion and expedite its effects, to prevent the bleeding?" Hermione's eyes widened. "The problem is that Agastya wasn't a wizard. He was a sorcerer and an alchemist — he specialized in wandless magic. He had no wand," she said, realization dawning on her face.

Draco, who had been sitting next to her silently, shifted in his seat. He'd been watching her with interest, and a spark seemed to have returned to his dull eyes. "Granger has a point," said Draco grudgingly. "The texts said his wife was fatally wounded. They _didn't_ say that he actually managed to save his wife. Whatever it was he needed to do, he couldn't do it."

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at their exchange. "Indeed." Instead of awarding any points to Gryffindor, or to Slytherin for that matter, he turned sharply to the blackboard and wrote down the name of the spell. "As mentioned by Granger and Malfoy, Agastya was not a wizard. He was an alchemist and sorcerer, and therefore, had no wand. He could not deliver the Sealing Spell required to make his potion foolproof, which incidentally can only be performed by wand magic,."

He stepped back from the board, where his writing was scrawled. Hermione leaned forward eagerly, and read the spell out loud.

" _Et oblinito sanandum._ " She looked up at Professor Snape. "Of course! To seal, and to heal, it's simple, but brilliant."

He sneered. "As usual, Miss Granger, your _enthusiasm_ never fails to disappoint." He spun on his heel, cloak billowing, and continued. "You will work in pairs to successfully render the Agastya Antivenin active and ready for use. Unlike the alchemist, you will _not_ repeat his blunder, and you will seal your potions using the _Oblinito sanandum_ and put the potion into a shatter-proof phial."

He gave no further instructions. He did not describe the wand movement, or the correct time to introduce the spell. That meant they had to do some quick research.

Hermione turned to Draco and smiled. "Do you have everything you need?"

He smirked at her, as usual, but there was a grudging respect in his gaze that wasn't there before. "Yes. As surprising as it might be to _you,_ I'm actually quite good at Potions."

When she smiled thinly, they turned away from each other and got to work, finding the correct jars of ingredients from the shelves at the front of the room. Professor Snape watched silently as Hermione and Draco worked together quickly and quietly, a far more efficient pair than the majority of the ones in the class despite their apparent dislike of each other. Soon enough, their Antivenin potion was bubbling and brewing. The color was coppery mixed in with shadows of black.

"Granger. What color should it be?" said Draco. Hermione looked at her textbook.

"It says copper and black. Eventually it needs to be bright yellow."

"How many turns?"

"Twenty, counter-clockwise," she said.

"I'll add ten clockwise stirs to balance out the acidity in the kelpie shavings," he said. "It'll be overpowering otherwise, with the thestral wings, which are a base." He rolled up his sleeves, and she did as well.

"That's... actually a brilliant idea. I'll stabilize the temperature of the cauldron for you." She waved her wand, and while he was stirring, she paused. "The Antivenin needs to be as thin as possible, so that the victim can assimilate it into their blood. That means all the ingredients should be crushed, not sliced like it says here," she said, pointing to the textbook. "Did you —"

He smirked. "I was thinking the same thing. The shavings were ground by mortar and pestle."

Hermione smiled back and started grinding the other ingredients. "Here's the Murtlap and Dittany. I added crushed ruby in the mix to shield against negative energy. You never know with snakes."

In fifteen more minutes, the steam from their cauldron had caused their hair to grow more and more unruly, and their faces to be red. Both of them had stained hands, which they took turns cleaning with a quick _Scourgify_ to avoid the contamination of the potion. At some point, the potion turned dark red, and they both looked up in alarm.

"Stop," they said, simultaneously. Draco sneered at her, and Hermione tied her hair back. "Okay. Time for that spell, Draco."

"Let me guess," he drawled, "Wands out?"

She smiled. "Wands out."

Little did they know that Professor Snape had been watching them the entire time with an expression that looked suspiciously like reluctant surprise and approval on his face, as well as something else, something secretive. But they didn't notice, and instead pulled out their wands.

"How do you suppose it should be performed?" said Draco slowly.

"Well, antivenin goes in blood. Blood is a cycle, right? I'd say a circle."

"Really," said Draco, frowning. "And you don't think that's too easy?"

Hermione smiled. "It doesn't have to be complicated."

He nodded reluctantly. For a moment, she thought she saw a flash of understanding in his eyes. "Three times?" said Draco.

She nodded. "Three."

And they began chanting together. " _Et oblinito sanandum. Et oblinito sanandum._ _Et oblinito sanandum._ "

The dark red potion glowed, and became brighter and brighter until it shone, bright yellow, before them.

But before they could celebrate, Neville's cauldron several counters over exploded into hundreds of shards. Hermione squeaked and ducked when one of the shards flew over her head, and looked at Draco with a horrified expression.

"The potion, Draco, we have to put it in a phial, otherwise we'll lose it!"

He nodded gravely, all signs of his previous sneer gone, and waved his wand. " _Accio_ shatter-proof phial!" he said. It came zooming toward him and he caught it deftly in one hand before tossing it to her. "Do it, Granger," he said, over the noise of students panicking.

She took the phial and waited until the coast was clear. Then, using a ladle that wouldn't affect the potion's properties, she put some of the potion into the phial and sealed it.

"There!" she said, slumping in relief. "Did it."

They looked at each other in triumph, then craning over the desk to see what was happening. The room had gone silent. Hermione's face grew pale when she saw that Professor Snape was slumped slightly next to Neville's cauldron. He had apparently pushed Harry and Neville away from the explosion just in time, but had taken the brunt of the blast right in his solar plexus. Why hadn't he used a spell? He could have used a simple _Protego._ Hermione frowned. Had the Professor been distracted?

And it was then that Hermione remembered why Draco mattered. He had been given orders to kill Dumbledore. She had seen it in her vision. After a moment, Hermione schooled her features and made sure he didn't notice. She looked at him. He was blissfully unaware of the turmoil happening inside her mind.

She looked at Professor Snape, who was still slumped, and stood. "As Head Girl I'm going to take over for a minute. Everyone please put your potions ingredients and materials neatly away. Clean everything and make sure everything goes back to where it came from." She turned to look at Harry and Neville, who were staring at Professor Snape in shock. "You two go to the infirmary for shock. In fact," she said, looking at the class, "Anyone who isn't feeling well should either go to the infirmary or their House dormitories. I'll make sure you're all excused for today, don't worry."

The students, recognizing that Hermione was an authority in the room, followed the instructions with a palpable relief.

"Draco?" she said, turning to look at him. "Professor Snape is your godfather, isn't he?" she whispered. When Draco looked at her suspiciously, she smiled reassuringly. "I only meant that since you're closer to him, you might like to accompany him to the infirmary."

Draco looked at the slumped Potions Professor reluctantly and sneered. "He's been cross with me these days, Granger, for reasons I'd rather not explain. I don't know if he'd appreciate my accompanying him."

Hermione looked at him sympathetically. "I think he would."

Draco grimaced. "You take him, Granger. I'll clean up here and store our phial away." He paused, then winced as he continued. "I'd appreciate it."

It was as close to _Please_ as he would get, and Hermione knew it. She blinked in surprise.

"I'll take him, then. It's fine," she said. She squeezed his arm gently. "Everything will be fine, you'll see," she said. "And before I go, I just wanted to say... sorry. For punching you. In third year."

He smiled thinly. "You have a mean right hook, Granger," he drawled. He paused. "But I suppose... you're not all bad."

"Same to you, Malfoy." She walked to where Professor Snape was slumped. "We should be partners next class."

Draco frowned. "We'll see."

Hermione felt hope blossoming in her chest at the idea that she and Draco might be friends. It would mean the end of years of fighting and animosity between them. Then she turned to look at Professor Snape. He was breathing. His face was calm. It seemed the Antivenin had been mutated into some form of Sleeping Draught. Any cuts that he might have had from the cauldron were gone; that must have been thanks to the Murtlap and Dittany. At least Neville had gotten _that_ right.

She conjured a stretcher for the Professor, and had several of the students lift him onto it. She didn't fancy a _Levicorpus_ in the cramped space of the Potions classroom, after all.

Hermione left the Potions classroom with Professor Snape in tow. Students who passed her in the all stared and whispered, wondering why the Gryffindor Head Girl was helping Snape at all.

She merely smiled, and desperately hoped that she could get Draco to change his mind. He just needed the right incentive. A flash of silvery blonde to her left caught her eye, and when she looked, she saw Delaney Fairfax, a beautiful, blonde, brilliant and fashionable Halfblood Ravenclaw, cousin of Astoria Greengrass. Suddenly, it clicked. Incentive.

It wasn't like her to play wing-woman and matchmaker, but in this case she'd make an exception. She'd become friends with Draco, and then hopefully show him a reason to stay away from the Dark side of things; a reason whose name was Delaney.

To Be Continued... Soon!

The Agastya Antivenin and the Sealing Spell are my ideas in this chapter.

 _Et Obilinito Sanandum_ is my spell.

Same with Delaney, who is an original character.

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	6. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Thank you so much for your reviews, favs, and follows!

Thank you especially to users who left comments on my story. Feedback is a writer's sharpest tool!

dethwatch: "Really like your story, hope to read more soon."

NatFord123: "Please continue! I really like where this is going! I love how it's from the point of view of Hermione."

Guest: "I'm interested in this fic."

Salvic: "Happen to find this story this morning and must say it caught my attention straight away... Can't wait to see how this plays out..."

Thank you all so so much! *hearts*

Now - let's continue with the story!

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

After bringing Professor Snape to the infirmary, Hermione stood back and watched Madame Pomfrey do her work. The art of Healing was fascinating to her, and she loved to watch Healing in action. Madame Pomfrey, who was experienced, qualified, and had an excellent bedside manner, was a role model for Hermione and an inspiration. Madame Pomfrey had been kind enough to take Hermione under her wing, so to speak, and teach her a few 'tricks of the trade.'

"Once they're admitted, it never hurts to put a Bubblehead Charm on a sleeping patient," said Madame Pomfrey, "Until the causes of the illness or injury can be ascertained. _Ebullio respirare._ " She waved her wand, and a bubble appeared around Professor Snape's head.

"While this next step isn't necessary," she continued, "it is a key tool in the prevention of unforeseen complications in the patient's condition. A quick Stasis Charm. It will keep the function of the patient's vital organs stabilized and protected. It goes like this, dear," said Madame Pomfrey. She made a square with her wand, and said, " _Habitus exponentia_." Professor Snape's body now had a soft halo around it.

"Now for the assessment charm, to analyze and record the extent of the damage done to the patient's mental and physical faculties." She waved her wand in the shape of a diamond. " _Perpendere persigno_."

Hermione's eyes widened — a circle of blue light, starting around Professor Snape's feet and moving towards his head, was pulsing. From out of this circle flew golden symbols and runes that would be impossible to decipher to anyone who hadn't studied Arithmancy. These shapes organized themselves in vertical, easy-to-follow lines, and were surrounded by other mysterious shapes and glyphs. Hermione approached these burning symbols, which gave off sparks occasionally, and stared at them eagerly. Before her eyes they translated themselves and her lips moved as she read them out loud.

"Cause of injury: Abrasions to solar plexus and shoulders, by failed Agastya Antivenin potion. Possible mutation: Sleeping draught. Various side effects: chest pain and soreness in the upper arms. Potential weakness in wand arm; short-term. Vitals: Stable. Eye-movement: Stable. Vocal cords: Intact. Diagnosis: Stable. Prescription: daily dose of Potioneers' Panacea remedial draught. Optional: _Remedium Accidente_ sealing spell after each dose of remedial draught." Hermione looked up in curiosity, a light burning in her eyes. " _Remedium Accidente_? What's that?"

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "A fascinating spell. Similar to the _Oblinito sanandum,_ it reverses, or at least mitigates, the more negative ramifications of magical injuries." She glanced at the sleeping Potions professor. "Why, our own Professor Snape himself invented a healing spell once. It was a brilliant combination of the _Oblinito sanandum_ and the _Remedium Accidente,_ I believe, when he was close to your age. He called it the _Vulnera Sanentur_ incantation _,_ " said Pomfrey, a faraway look in her eyes. She shook herself out of her reverie. "Well, at any rate, terribly useful spell, that _Remedium_."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. So, Professor Snape had once dabbled in Spell-Mastery? Interesting.

"What are the next steps?" she said, looking at Madame Pomfrey. "In First-Aid Healing, I mean."

The matron breathed in, shoulders raising. "Well, dear, in this case there's not much we can do other than wait, I'm afraid. He has no abrasions that we need to heal, thanks to the properties of the Agastya ingredients, I believe. And… we _are_ in a rather singular position of allowing him to rest. The troublesome boy never gets enough sleep, so there's no sense in waking him yet, not when he clearly needs it," she said, gesturing at the man's exhausted looking face. "He has a nasty temper in the mornings, you know. Trust me, you wouldn't like to be there when he wakes, and even less, be the one to rouse him. Never tickle a sleeping dragon? Well, you know…, " said Madame Pomfrey, eyes sparkling in good humor.

Hermione's lips twitched. It was hard to imagine that Professor Snape might have once been a boy. Of course, that was silly, because everyone at one time was once a child. Hermione frowned. It was the first time that day that she had had a moment to reflect on the Vision she had had in the early afternoon. The day seemed to have flown past her without her noticing.

"I'm sorry, Madame Pomfrey. I really have to go."

"Oh, not at all dear. Do come by again," called the nurse as Hermione exited the room.

 _I_ must _get to the bottom of this_ , thought Hermione. _Why would a Muggleborn be having visions?_ Her eyes brightened for a moment, and she headed off to the Restricted Section. It was a long walk from the infirmary, and she passed several people along the way, including — well, hello — Delaney Fairfax. The blonde girl was sitting with a small group of friends from different houses. Hermione recognized Marianne Gallagher, her fellow Gryffindor, as well as the Davenport twins (Jane and Jack) from Hufflepuff, and Amory Kissinger from Slytherin. There were two more she didn't recognize, and she approached the group to meet them.

"Hello," she said.

Delaney looked up from her book. "Oh, Hermione! What are you doing here?" Delaney paused, then blushed. "I'm so sorry, I only meant, this is the first time you've come to speak with us."

Hermione had the good grace to look embarrassed. "I wanted to fix that, actually. You had some really interesting things to say in Arithmancy and I was wondering if you might like to study with me sometime? I'd like to get to know you better. Actually, I was planning on going to the library with Marianne," she added, gesturing to her Transfiguration partner, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, "If you'd like to join us."

Marianne nodded excitedly. "Oh, please do come with us, Delaney. I'm so nervous for my Muggle Studies exam, and honestly, who better to talk to about it than witches with Muggle parents?" she said.

Hermione looked at Delaney in surprise. "You have a Muggle parent?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to slap herself on the forehead. Of course she did, she was a Halfblood after all.

Delaney nodded. "Yes, actually. My mother." She grimaced. "Their marriage got my father's name erased from the family tree."

Hermione frowned. "Who's your father? If I can ask that."

Delaney smiled proudly. "Honestus Greengrass. He took my mother's name when they were married. It was _quite_ the scandal, I'm told," she added, sadly.

"I see," said Hermione sympathetically. "But you're happy, at least? You and your family?"

Delaney nodded emphatically. "Of course. I love my parents. It's just… well…"

"Yes?" said Hermione.

"It's just," admitted Delaney, "I know my father secretly wants me to marry well, so he can speak to his sister Rosalind again. But he never comes clean about it. You know how fathers are."

A lightbulb went off in Hermione's head. "I understand."

Delaney's eyes looked at her hopefully. "Do you?"

Hermione nodded. "Don't worry. Everything will turn out fine." She turned to look at the rest of the group. "Hello Jane. Jack. How are you?"

The black-haired twins grinned at her simultaneously.

"Excellent," said Jack.

"Never better," said Jane.

"Fantastic," said Jack.

"Wonderful," said Jane.

Hermione's lips twitched. They reminded her of Fred and George. Were _all_ twins this way? She would simply have to research it later.

"Hello, Amory," she continued, politely. The brown-haired Slytherin boy smiled at her and winked.

"Cheers, Granger." She turned to look at the remaining two.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met. I'm Hermione Granger," she said, holding her hand out for them to shake. The first one, a boy with a scar on his face, took the proffered hand and shook it with a congenial expression.

"Friedrich Fuller, Ravenclaw. My friends just call me Fuller."

The second one, a boy with mismatched eyes (one blue and one green), grinned crookedly at her.

"Simeon Fitzhenry. Hufflepuff."

"It's a pleasure," said Hermione. She straightened herself up. "You know," she said, speaking to all of them at once, "We should make a study group."

There were noises of assent and cheerful agreement all around. The general consensus was that Tuesday evenings were the best for group gatherings in the private area of the library. And so it was that with a new set of friends and a happy smile on her face, Hermione left them behind and went where she originally had intended to be, i.e., the Restricted Section.

* * *

"Muggleborn Seers… Muggleborn Seers….," said Hermione, running her hand down the spines of the books. "Of course!" she said. She dashed over to a different segment of the Restricted Section and found the book she was looking for. " _Seers Through the Ages: A Horrid History,_ by Roseus Pernix. Perfect."

She flipped through the pages until she found the one she was looking for. The beginning of the page read:

 **KASSANDRA OF TROY**

A daughter of Queen Hecuba and King Priam of Troy in Greece, Kassandra was cursed to deliver prophecies that were true, but which no one believed. While her parents were Muggle royalty, and she herself was indeed the product of their union, Kassandra was a witch. She was also the twin sister of Helenus, who was born a Squib. According to many sources, this Muggleborn Seer was both beautiful and clever, and had dark brown curly hair and brown eyes, though she was considered insane. Kassandra foresaw the destruction of Troy, but tragically her warnings were ignored by all who knew her. It is said she predicted the invention of several tools which we now use today in the field of Divination and Potions, as well as a number of revolutionary and progressive magical texts which would not appear for many years after her death. (See Appendix 1987 for more information.)

 _Interesting,_ thought Hermione as she skimmed the page. Well, the physical similarities between herself and Kassandra were striking. The situation was far removed but she could understand, thanks to Kassandra, what the consequences would be if she divulged her secret ability to anyone who couldn't be trusted.

Who could she tell? Dumbledore knew, that was for certain. She couldn't tell Draco or Professor Snape. And… there was _that_ part of the vision. The part where Dumbledore… well. Hermione frowned and tried to recall his words. _You must kill me, Severus. Protect Harry, and when the time comes, find it in yourself to put an old man out of his misery._ But… Dumbledore's hand. What had caused the injury? If she could prevent the injury then Dumbledore wouldn't have to die. Professor Snape wouldn't have to become a murderer. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to remember what had been in the office at the time. A few notebooks, a quill or two, plenty of lemon drops… _And a ring,_ whispered a voice from the back of her mind. Hermione jolted upwards. The ring! Of course. A person could be tempted to put on a ring, if it were important or valuable enough. If the ring were poisoned or cursed, then it would make sense that Dumbledore's hand had turned black the way it had. But which ring was it? And who would want to curse it?

Hermione spent the rest of the evening searching the restricted section for clues. It took hours until she found one, in a book called _Moste Vyle Curses._

 **THE HEIRLOOME CURSE**

It has longe been a tradition in Purebloode families to protecte their heirlooms

by means of Curses Moste Vyle. In the case of the Heirloome Curse, an item belonging

to the family may be linked to their owner in such a way, that only members of

the family may touche it. Outsiders who seeke to touche the Heirloome are cursed. The curse spreads from the hande to the hearte, torturing the thief gradually, leading to

what woulde prove to be a moste slow and painful death. Gringotts Bank

has banned the use of the Heirloome Curse, but allowances have been made for

three of the families of the Sacred Twenty-Eighte: Black, Lestrange, and Gaunt.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. Black, Lestrange, and Gaunt. Well, she could see the Lestranges using such a backhanded and awful curse. The Blacks, not so much. At least, not since Sirius. And Narcissa had _some_ good in her, after all, so she wouldn't condone such a thing. But Gaunt… Who were the Gaunt family?

She walked through the aisles until she found a record of Pureblood families affiliated with Hogwarts called _Purebloods and Hogwarts._ She flipped to the G section, and found several names under the Gaunt section, in chronological order from long deceased, to most recently deceased members of the family.

Gormlaith Gaunt (B.1589)

Rionach Gaunt (B.1592)

Corvinus Gaunt (B.1684)

Marvolo Gaunt (B.1870)

Morfin Gaunt (B.1900)

Merope Gaunt (B.1907)

(See Gringotts Registry for more information.)

Hermione stared at the names. The Gaunts certainly _sounded_ like people who would use an Heirloom Curse. Then, she saw something that caught her eye. A word, penciled in the margins in thin writing. It looked like… Peverell? What did that mean? Out of curiosity, she flipped through to the P section. Peverell, Peverell… There!

Antioch Peverell (B.1207)

Cadmus Peverell (B. 1210)

Ignotus Peverell (B. 1214)

(See Tales of Beedle the Bard for more information.)

"Tales of Beedle the Bard," she said. "That sounds like a children's tale. I'll have to ask Ron about that," she muttered to herself thoughtfully, tapping her chin with one finger. "Then again, it sounds a bit outlandish. A bit silly, even. Maybe Luna knows more than Ron, she loves this sort of thing."

She continued searching, but there were no clues. Even if the ring _did_ belong to the Gaunts, or even the Peverells, how did one reverse the effects of an Heirloom Curse? Purebloods were all related, right? Hermione's eyes lit up. Well, if the Gaunts and the Peverells were somehow related, then it would make it easier to find a countercurse, if, hypothetically speaking, the ring had come from their family.

She found a massive book on Pureblood lineage called _Pure of Blood: A New Genealogy_ and slammed the tome down onto the table next to _Moste Vyle Curses_ and _Seers Through the Ages: A Horrid History,_ and of course, _Purebloods and Hogwarts._

"The Peverells came before the Gaunts… best to start there…," she said. She flipped to P and looked at the list of names.

Antioch Peverell: no children.

Cadmus Peverell: no children.

Ignotus Peverell: 1 son. Nicholas Peverell.

Nicholas Peverell: 1 daughter. Iolanthe Peverell.

Iolanthe Peverell (married to) Hardwin Potter: 1 son. Henry Potter.

Hermione gasped. Potter? No, it couldn't be. Eager to learn more, she continued reading where she left off.

Henry Potter: 1 son. Fleamont Potter.

Fleamont Potter (married to Euphemia Ollivander): 1 son. James Potter.

James Potter (married to Lily E.): 1 son. Harry Potter.

Hermione's jaw dropped. Harry was related to the Peverells? There had to be more than this.

Extended Family: House Black, House Abbott, House Longbottom,

House Ollivander, House Weasley, House Gaunt.

House Gaunt! So, even if they were several times removed, the Peverells were related to the Gaunts in _some_ way. At any rate, the Peverells liked to avoid Slytherins. Out of their extended family members only two of the families had been predominantly Slytherin, i.e., Gaunt and Black. The rest were Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff graduates.

Hermione's head was swimming with new information. But then, how could one counteract an Heirloom Curse, if that's what the problem with Dumbledore's ring was? She flipped through _Moste Vyle Curses._

 **CURSE-BREAKINGE:** _The Heirloome Curse_

The Heirloome Curse can only be broken by a directe or extended member of the Pureblood family which first placed a curse upone the Heirloome. The counter curse is

Hermione learned forward, eager to find the answer, but the words were scratched out. She huffed out a sigh of frustration and shut the book. Where _was_ it? A book for countercurses, then. She ran to the correct shelf, pulled out _Breaking Curses_ by Ignace Jakoby, and flipped to the page that read:

 **Countering the Heirloom Curse.** The countercurse is simple: a triangular movement

three times with the wand, followed by the incantation, _Adflicto Hereditatem._

Hermione let out a short, but joyful whoop. There it was! If this was the right curse — and Hermione was sure it was — then she might have a solution for Dumbledore's hand. A solution for Draco. A solution for Professor Snape.

Suddenly, she yawned widely and stretched her arms. Time to get some rest, I think, she thought to herself. She put all the books away and left to go to her dormitory.

She was too tired to notice the person watching in the shadows.

To Be Continued... Soon!

The spells _Ebullio_ _respirare,_ _Habitus_ exponentia, and _Perpendere persigno_ are mine.

Potioneers' Panacea, _Remedium Accidente,_

 _Seers Through the Ages: A Horrid History,_ by Roseus Pernix,

 _Moste Vyle Curses,_ _Purebloods and Hogwarts,_ _Breaking Curses_ by Ignace Jakoby

and the spell _Adflicto Hereditatem_ are mine.

Honestus Greengrass & Delaney Fairfax, Jack and Jane, Simeon and Friedrich, and Amory are mine.

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	7. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, everyone! I've had a busy few days.

Please enjoy! This time, let's take a look from Snape's point of view.

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX**

 _Snape's Point of View._

It was the beginning of yet another school year teaching at Hogwarts, and Severus Snape was tired. Death Eater gatherings were growing more and more frequent, and these days it was rare that he ever returned to his chambers unscathed. On a good day, he might escape with a _Sectumsempra_ and a few _Crucios_. But, more than the fact that he was sore and aching in places he hadn't known existed, Severus had an itch in the back of his mind that told him something worse was going to happen soon. He didn't know what it was, but he certainly knew it wouldn't be pleasant. As a double agent and professor, Snape had an excellent instinct for that sort of thing.

Severus took his breakfast as usual. He wasn't ridiculously stupid enough _not_ to eat, but he didn't exactly over indulge, either. He took his coffee with cream and sugar — people always seemed surprised that he didn't take it black — and enjoyed it greatly. It was one of the smaller pleasures of his existence. In fact, his morning coffee was the one time where he ever truly took the time to appreciate the aromas and the flavors of what he was putting into his mouth (aside from his nightly Firewhiskey, of course.) Aside from the steaming beverage, Professor Snape often ordered a plate of eggs and toast. On a bad day, he'd forgo the eggs. On a good day, he asked the house elves to surprise him with something new. This was his secret, and it certainly kept the other professors on their toes. Avoiding a specific routine and maintaining flexible habits meant that it would be impossible for people to truly get to know him, to 'figure him out' — which, as it happened, was exactly the way Snape liked it.

But something that morning was off. That Trelawney was muttering more than usual about bad omens, and even Albus had a slightly overcast look in his twinkling blue eyes. Severus found that didn't like the change. He reluctantly set his coffee down, and turned to speak to the Headmaster.

"Headmaster, you look ill," he drawled. When Albus didn't twinkle at the spy's snarky comment, as he usually was wont to do, Severus frowned. "What is it, sir?" said Severus intently.

Albus seemed to wake up from a trance. "Hm? Oh, hello, Severus. I do apologize." He heaved a sigh. "There is… something in the air… I could not say. Can you feel it, Severus?" Bright blue eyes focused on black. "A new presence, pressing against the barriers of your mind?"

The black eyes blinked. Severus frowned, then allowed everything around him to disappear. He moved towards the mental protections he had built for himself (he was not only an expert Legilimens, but the finest Occlumens Albus Dumbledore had ever trained) and took a long, hard look. At first glance, nothing seemed strange in his enormous mental library; but there, hidden, was something different. He moved towards it, and could sense a feather-light, whispering entity touching his mind. The primary emotion he felt from this new presence was fear, and as he approached the source of these whispers, he raised an eyebrow. There was a book that lay open on the floor which did not belong to his collection of carefully sorted memories. Its cover was blue, embossed in gold engravings, and all the pages were blank save one. While he didn't move to touch the book, he could see his name scrawled in cursive writing on the first page. More writing appeared; it seemed the book was writing itself.

With a frown, Severus placed new protections on his library and exited his mind. He turned to look at Albus, who looked over his half-moon spectacles knowingly.

"Do you see?" said Professor Dumbledore.

Severus nodded shortly. "Indeed," he drawled. "Most… peculiar."

Then, in the way that spies always do, Severus could feel a burning in the side of his head which signalled someone staring in his direction. He turned his head slightly, sweeping the room for the source of it; and there, he spotted her. Little Miss Know-It-All Granger looking at him in her usual bold fashion. No, not her usual fashion. Her eyes were wide, confused. He frowned sharply, and she turned away, hiding her face with her enormous mane of hair.

Severus forgot about the incident, and instead left the Head Table to spend his first two classes gleefully reprimanding first and second year students. He gave out six detentions, three four-foot long essays, and sent several of the dunderheads to the infirmary after yet _another_ accident in the Potions classroom. After what seemed like forever, he released his second year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff class, waited until they had all filed out of the door, and closed the door behind him.

He left to lunch feeling slightly more drained than usual. The perpetual mental barriers that he had trained himself to keep up at all times weren't the cause of his tiredness. The migraines from _that,_ at least, had ceased years ago. He wondered at the source of the exhaustion, and with his ever present frown, went to join Albus at the Head Table once more.

"Severus! How were the first Potions classes of the year?" asked the Headmaster.

"Just brilliant," he sneered. "What do you think, Albus? Six more exploded cauldrons, Albus. Six."

Professor Dumbledore twinkled. "Ah, children. Ever the entertainers."

Severus fought the urge to roll his eyes and sat down. His plate appeared at his seat as usual, and he picked up his fork and knife. He was about to take a bite of the meal in front of him when, out of nowhere, he winced almost indiscernibly. To his left, Sybill dropped her utensils and they landed with a clatter on her plate. To his right, Dumbledore stopped smiling.

The reason why all three of them had the same reaction was the scream that had violently ripped through their mental barriers. The scream was one of fear, of confusion, and most of all, it was familiar. The voice called out for help so loudly that the three accomplished Occlumens couldn't help but look at the source.

Professor Snape made eye contact with the Granger girl just before her eyes rolled into her head, and she passed out on the floor.

Severus and Albus stood immediately, drawing their wands. Albus cast a quick _Sonorus,_ magically projecting his voice over the Great Hall.

"Students, students. Please remain seated and give Miss Granger space," said Professor Dumbledore. Immediately, the uproar of voices became a hush. " _Quietus_ ," said the Headmaster, before making his way around the table.

Severus, for his part, wasted no time in going around the table, and instead opted to vanish the portion of table in front of him with a variant of the _Evanesco_ charm. With a short " _Pereo,_ " the oaken table became smoke when he walked through it, and with a _"Resurgo,_ " it became solid once more when he crossed to the other side.

It was the fastest way to get to the Gryffindor table, and time was of the essence where the protection of someone's mind was concerned. The Granger girl may have been insufferable, but she was a student all the same, and it would look bad if he didn't move to help her. McGonagall was frozen from shock, and obviously wasn't going to be of much use.

He kneeled by the girl's side and drawled at Potter and Weasley. "Move aside."

Reluctantly, the two young men moved aside and let the Potions professor do his work. He waved his wand to cast a Stasis Charm. " _Habitus exponentia_ ," he said. The girl's body now had a soft halo around it. He waved his wand again. " _Perpendere persigno_." Runes appeared before him, telling him what he needed to know. He read the symbols, seemingly satisfied, until he came upon three sets of runes that made his blood run cold. "Headmaster —" he started. But Dumbledore was already kneeling beside him, analyzing the runes.

"I see," said the Headmaster. Quickly, he cast a silent _Muffliato,_ and spoke to Severus in low tones, smiling all the while. "Did you see any signs of this development, Severus?"

Professor Snape kept his expression neutral. "Of course not. There was never anything remarkable about the…," he broke off and refrained from saying 'chit' when Dumbledore looked at him reprovingly, "... about the girl," he sneered. "I had no reason to check for the signs. Besides, Albus, by all accounts, she _is_ Muggleborn."

"These are uncertain times, Severus," said Dumbledore. "We cannot be so sure of that." He looked up and saw the faces of his students, who were confused by the fact that they could no longer hear the voices of their professors. "Meet me in my office when this is dealt with. _Finite Incantatem._ "

Albus turned and twinkled at his students. "All is well! You may return to your meals."

Suddenly, the young Granger woman gasped on the floor and opened her eyes.

"Move," snapped Snape when Potter and Weasley rushed to her side. "Move out of the _way,_ Potter, or it will be a detention for the two of you." He turned and looked at the Granger girl. He snapped his fingers three times in front of her eyes, and her gaze gradually focused itself. "It would seem that she is aware of her surroundings at last, Headmaster," he drawled.

Then the young woman opened her mouth. The Potions professor's eyes snapped to watch her intently as she spoke her first words.

"Sir," she said, looking straight at him, eyes slightly wide and suspiciously teary.

Snape frowned. "Yes, Miss Granger," he drawled, sneering at her.

"It's good to see you, sir."

And with that, the chit's eyes rolled back into her head, and Snape sighed inwardly before barking at the students to 'Move back, damn it all,' while summoning a stretcher on which to transport Miss Granger to the infirmary. Once there, he gave Madame Pomfrey several bottles of potions from his own Healing stores, and left to meet Dumbledore in his office.

To Be Continued... Soon!

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

The _Pereo/_ _Resurgo_ variant of the Vanishing Spell is mine.

 ****SIDE NOTE:** (For those interested, an idea I had which came from these spells is that

the Platform 9 3/4 wall would have a permanent loop of the _Pereo_ and Resurgo spells,

which activates each time a witch or wizard goes through it.)

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	8. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Thank you so much for your reviews, favs, and follows!

Thank you especially to users who left comments on my story. Feedback is a writer's sharpest tool!

dethwatch: "Really like your story, hope to read more soon."

NatFord123: "Please continue! I really like where this is going! I love how it's from the point of view of Hermione."

Guest: "I'm interested in this fic."

Salvic: "Happen to find this story this morning and must say it caught my attention straight away... Can't wait to see how this plays out..."

Dreamweaver88: "I LOVE your view of SNAPE'S POV!"

HildevonKrone: "Just stumbled upon this after refreshing the pairing page on Fanfiction. While the story is still in its early stages, it is off to a good start. I personally can't give my concrete thoughts until a couple more chapters pop up, but I already have good vibes with this one."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE PT. 2:**

More reviews!

Dreamweaver88: "Ohhh what a plot twist!"

missbelab: "interesting story! Update soon"

As promised, here's a new update in the second half of Chapter Seven! It cover's Snape's point of view after the first Potions class.

 **P.S.** \- I'll take requests for pairings if people ask! This is going to be a long story, so I can fit other pairings in. So far I have Draco/OC, Hermione/Snape (it makes sense as time goes on), Harry/Ginny, Ron/Lavender, Luna/Neville, and Remus/Tonks planned.

Cheers!

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVEN** **  
**

 _Snape's Point of View, Continued._

Severus Snape swept up the stairs to the Headmaster's office with a fierce frown on his face. He prided himself on his ability to conceal his emotions, but in this case he was concerned; not for the bothersome Gryffindor chit, but for what the implications of the girl's newly revealed condition might be. He looked up and met the gaze of Dumbledore's gargoyle. In recent days, Dumbledore had ceased using the names of various candies as he had done in previous years, opting instead to use riddles, cryptic words, and enigmatic phrases. At first, Severus had thought that he would be glad to see the last of those candied codes and sickly-sweet passwords, but if he were honest with himself, he didn't like the change. Snape knew instinctively that the shift in Dumbledore's behavior was a warning, but a warning against what?

The gargoyle coughed impatiently, and Severus frowned irritably.

"Seeing reason," he barked.

The gargoyle bowed and moved aside. Snape's cloaks billowed as he climbed the last portion of tower that led to Albus Dumbledore's bureau, and stepped inside. He slammed the door with his usual waspishness, causing the portraits on the wall to titter with amusement, and brushed by the Pensieve to sit in his usual seat across from the Headmaster. The Headmaster's chair, however, was vacant. Snape frowned and looked up at the portrait of Victor the Vainglorious, who reminded him rather unpleasantly of Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Where is the Headmaster?" he asked, glaring at the picture.

The portrait ran a hand through his golden hair and grinned. "At the Ministry of Magic, of course. Where else?"

Snape's expression remained neutral. "Would you care to _clarify_ that statement?" he sneered.

Victor shook his head. "No sir," replied the painting cheerfully.

Snape stared at the painting and said something that sounded suspiciously like ' _Very droll, you sorry excuse of a crackpot cartoon_ ,' before the Floo network in the office's fireplace flared bright green, and the tall form of Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room.

"That wasn't very kind of you, Severus," remarked Dumbledore pleasantly as he dusted off his robes and removed his glittering pointed hat. "I apologize on behalf of Professor Snape, Victor."

Victor the Vainglorious smiled his pearly smile and bowed deeply toward the Headmaster. All the while, the Potions professor stared at Albus with one eyebrow flicked upwards. How had that barmy bastard heard him, through the Floo, no less?

"That is an excellent question, Severus," replied Dumbledore, seeming to have heard Severus' thoughts as if they had been spoken out loud, "And I would be most delighted to answer it at another time. This year's Christmas party would be the perfect venue for such a discussion, I think. Do you agree?"

Snape sneered and crossed his arms. "Tell me what you wanted to discuss, Albus. And make it quick, if you can. His Dark Lordship has requested my presence this evening."

Albus' smiling face grew sober as he nodded and sat down. "It is the matter of Miss Granger, Severus."

"What a surprise," drawled the dark-haired man. Dumbledore ignored him.

"You and I both know that she is not what she seems." Dumbledore steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "The results of the _Persigno_ charm you placed on her were most intriguing."

"It's true, then," said Snape. He frowned. "It wasn't a... malfunction? A defective spell?"

Albus smiled at him knowingly. "Severus, you and I both know that your spells are never defective."

Snape sneered. "Yes, it would have been a first."

Albus leaned back in his seat. "I must admit I was surprised to learn that Master Ollivander had been concealing the truth all these years. Then again, I suppose it makes perfect sense. Such a noble lineage of Ravenclaws would, of course, inevitably be the making of a brilliant witch like Miss Granger."

Snape narrowed his eyes. "Ollivander?" He paused, and his eyes widened slightly. "No."

Dumbledore nodded and tapped his fingers together pensively. "Oh, yes. Did you know that Master Ollivander's mother was a Muggle-born witch, herself, Severus?" He paused, then smiled. "I had always wondered where Garrick's brother had disappeared to. It would seem that he has made quite the life for himself as a Muggle."

Snape's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Do you mean to tell me that Granger Ollivander, one of the finest Arithmancers ever to walk this Earth, has been _masquerading_ as a Muggle all these years?"

Albus smiled serenely. "Yes, Severus." He said it as easily as though he were commenting on the weather. "You know, we really should have made the connection sooner. Gervaise, Gerbold and Geraint, Garrick, and of course, _Granger_. It's quite a staple naming trend for a Pureblood family. Even if Granger _were_ a common name, it couldn't have been plainer."

Severus continued with increasing bitterness, not seeming to have heard the Headmaster.

"Does he have any idea of the madness he left behind when he disappeared? You remember, Headmaster, the Daily Prophet had a field day. And now he goes around the Muggle world having people call him Doctor Granger, and no one asks him any questions? He's off living his charmed life while we're here fighting the good fight," said Snape somewhat incredulously. "Be honest, Albus. Why did you never look for him? There is a _war_ going on, and —" he cut himself off. "Albus, is he even _qualified_ to be a dentist?"

Albus chuckled. "He left Hogwarts to finish his education in Muggle universities, which incidentally was where he met his wife. I had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Granger today. It would seem he placed a Fidelius on himself and his wife in order to have a fresh start. A wonderful piece of spell-work, by the way. Elegantly executed. Under normal circumstances, no one could have ever discovered his secret."

Snape leaned back in his seat and rubbed his temples slowly. "Miss Granger. A Halfblood. Not just any Halfblood, but an Ollivander, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight… This —" he paused. "This changes things, Albus."

"Not only a Halfblood," said Albus smoothly. "There is more to the story."

Snape's gaze snapped up to fix the Headmaster with a piercing stare, and the elderly wizard continued.

"It would seem that Miss Granger, or rather, Miss Ollivander," corrected Albus with an amused smile, "Is a Seer as well."

There was only one word that was suitable for this situation, and Snape used it.

"Shit."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "While that is not exactly how I would put it, I agree with you, Severus."

"This isn't a laughing matter, Dumbledore. You _know_ the Dark Lord will fight to have her in his ranks."

Dumbledore sighed. "I am aware."

Snape looked at him in disbelief. "No. You wouldn't."

Dumbledore popped a lemon drop in his mouth. "Do not assume that I would ever willingly put one of my students in harm's way."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "How would you explain your behavior towards the Potter boy, then, Albus?"

Dumbledore ignored him. "I intend to ask Miss Granger to join the Order of the Phoenix."

Snape's other eyebrow joined the first. "And that _isn't_ willingly putting one of you students in harm's way?"

Dumbledore shot him a stern look. "My dear Severus, do you honestly think that with a father like Granger and an uncle like Garrick, Miss Granger would be in danger?" He paused. "If Miss Granger's Blood Status and her abilities as a Seer have only just come to our attention now, then who is to say what other secrets lie dormant within her at this very moment?" His eyes glimmered. "She may well have the key to winning this war."

Severus sneered. "I know that look, Albus. I may not like that Gryffindor chit, but that does not give you leave to treat her like an experiment."

Albus had the good grace to look down. "That was not my intention, Severus. I merely got carried away." He sighed. "Her training will have to begin as soon as possible." He looked up. "She will be inducted this Friday night; I will make all the necessary arrangements, and you, Severus, must keep a watchful eye on Miss Granger."

Severus grimaced. "First Potter, now Granger," said the Potions professor. "I am not a watchdog, Albus," he spat.

Dumbledore smiled. "You must endeavor to be a bit kinder to yourself, my boy." He stood. "Tell me if Miss Granger does anything out of the ordinary."

"Of course," said Severus. He stood and glared at the elderly man. "Will there be anything else?"

Albus smiled. "Yes, actually. You will attend this weekend's Order meeting."

Severus fought the urge to snarl, and bowed. "Of course."

And he swept out of the office, leaving Albus Dumbledore alone with his musings. _Double Potions with the Slytherins and Gryffindors,_ thought Severus miserably to himself as he summoned his notes from the dungeons. _I can feel a headache coming on already._

* * *

Severus arrived in the Potions classroom to a room full of empty chairs. There were ten minutes left to the start of class, which would give him plenty of time to write instructions on the board, and then sit menacingly at his table. Severus went through his usual routine in preparing for class, but this time added extra protective charms on the tables and ceiling. With a student like Longbottom, one could never be too prepared.

Then, he sat and waited. Students began to file in, some from Gryffindor, some from Slytherin, but never did students from the two Houses mingle as they entered the room. Severus observed quietly from his perch as the students took their seats. The Weasley boy sat with one of his Gryffindor friends, and for the first time, Potter placed his things next to Longbottom's. Not far from the Gryffindors, Slytherins were preparing their Potions materials. Strangely, the students were not sitting in their usual groups today. Severus frowned deeply as he watched his godson step into the room as silently as a ghost and sit down on his own at a table in the corner of the room. What the devil was wrong with the boy? Severus sighed inwardly. Draco would have to tell him the truth eventually.

Minutes passed, and the last students entered the room. He looked around, and nodded sharply when he saw that all students were present. Save one, of course, but the Granger girl was ill, according to Pomfrey. Surely she would remain in the infirmary for the rest of the day. Inwardly, he sneered, then began his lesson.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making for the sixth consecutive year," he began. It was the same speech he gave each term, and he chose this speech for a good reason. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they heard every word— like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As I am sure you are all aware, there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. Your wands will be tools of the trade, used to perfect and polish your Potions, nothing more." He paused and sneered. "Years of teaching this class have allowed me to confirm, once and for all, that you are indeed the biggest bunch of dunderheads I have ever had to teach. And yet," he said, and the class leaned forward, "there are those of you who possess a certain… pre-disposition for the subtle art of Potions making." He stopped, and leaned back in his seat. "Can one of you tell me the statement I made in your first year of Potions? Refresh my memory."

There was a moment's silence, and to everyone's surprise, it was Neville's hand that raised slowly into the air. "Longbottom?"

Neville met Snape's gaze with a certain level-headedness that hadn't been seen from him before. "Sir. You said that you could teach us how to brew glory, bottle fame, and…," he frowned as he remembered the next part, "Put a stopper in death."

Without warning, Snape took his wand and flicked it in the direction of the blackboard. "What I said to you when you first arrived as a bunch of senseless first years will now become reality in your sixth year of Potions," said Professor Snape. "In today's class, I will address one of the first credited Healing potions to have ever been brewed. While the original brewer of the potion did not succeed in using it to stopper the death of his partner, I will teach you how to brew it in such a way that it fulfills its purpose."

If he hadn't had the interest of all his students before, he certainly did now. Before he could go on, he was interrupted by a knock on the door. With a slight snarl, he waved his wand and the door opened. He didn't look up from what he was writing on the blackboard. He recognized the girl's erratic breathing and the sound of her laden book bag.

"Miss Granger. Late once again. Sit."

The class tittered, and the Granger chit flushed slightly pink. The only one available was next to Draco Malfoy. Severus listened carefully, and was mildly surprised when the girl managed to negotiate a place next to him without a fight. Finally, Severus turned away from the blackboard.

"Today we will be brewing the Agastya Antivenin," he said. "Who can accurately list its properties?"

The Granger girl didn't raise her hand. Interesting.

"Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor for staring blankly into space," he drawled.

Granger looked up with wide eyes. "Sir," she said in protest, then ducked her head. "Sorry, sir. It won't happen again."

 _No questions asked?_ thought Severus. What a pleasant surprise.

"See that it does not." He paused. "Perhaps you could list the properties of the Agastya Antivenin, Miss Granger. Or would your incessant daydreaming prevent you from giving a correct answer?"

The Slytherins snickered.

"The antivenin was brewed using hoof shavings of a kelpie, wing clippings of a thestral, and Murtlap essence mixed with a measured and diluted solution of Dittany." Granger paused, then frowned, looking up at Professor Snape.

"Sir, may I ask a question?"

The room froze in shock. Hermione Granger, asking a question?

Professor Snape sneered. "It would be a first." When she continued waiting patiently, he fought the urge to snarl, and waved his hand. "Ask."

"Thank you, sir. It's just — wouldn't Lopamudra have suffered from blood loss? If the thestral clippings prevented hallucinations and the kelpie shavings counteracted the venom, that would remove the risk of heart and brain failure. I suppose the puncture wounds would close thanks to Murtlap and Dittany — but how long would that take? It wouldn't be enough. She would have bled out."

Granger continued. "There would have to be a spell, wouldn't there sir? To seal the potion and expedite its effects, to prevent the bleeding?" The girl's eyes widened. "The problem is that Agastya wasn't a wizard. He was a sorcerer and an alchemist — he specialized in wandless magic. He had no wand," she said, realization dawning on her face.

Draco, who had been sitting next to her silently, suddenly came to life. He'd been watching her with interest. "Not bad, Granger," he said, catching her gaze. "After all, the texts said his wife was fatally wounded. They didn't say that he actually managed to save his wife. Whatever it was he needed to do, he couldn't do it."

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at their exchange. "Indeed." Instead of awarding any points to Gryffindor, or to Slytherin for that matter, he turned sharply to the blackboard and wrote down the name of the spell. "As mentioned by Granger and Malfoy, Agastya was not a wizard. He was an alchemist and sorcerer, and therefore, had no wand. He could not deliver the Sealing Spell required to make his potion foolproof, which incidentally can only be performed by wand magic,."

He stepped back from the board, where his writing was scrawled. Hermione leaned forward eagerly, and read the spell out loud.

"Et oblinito sanandum." She looked up at Professor Snape. "Of course!"

He sneered, not bothering to listen to the rest of her sentence. "As usual, Miss Granger, your enthusiasm never fails to disappoint." He spun on his heel, cloak billowing, and continued. "You will work in pairs to successfully render the Agastya Antivenin active and ready for use. Unlike the alchemist, you will not repeat his blunder, and you will seal your potions using the Oblinito sanandum and put the potion into a shatter-proof phial."

He had no desire to give further instructions. He did not describe the wand movement, or the correct time to introduce the spell.

Professor Snape watched silently as Granger and Draco worked together quickly and quietly, a far more efficient pair than the majority of the ones in the class. They fetched all their materials and organized them neatly, then set about preparing their ingredients and the base of the Potion. Severus watched with narrowed eyes as their Antivenin potion became coppery-black.

"What color should it be?" he heard Draco say. Granger looked at her textbook.

"It says copper and black. Eventually it needs to be bright yellow."

"Got it. How many turns?"

"Twenty, counter-clockwise," she said.

Severus looked away, feigning disinterest. In reality he was listening to their conversation as it continued, pleased by the performance of his godson, and intrigued by the performance of the Ollivander girl. Perhaps, in another life, they might have made good Potions Apprentices.

Snape took a turn about the room, checking every cauldron for mistakes, and was almost pleased to see that there were none. That wasn't to say that their potions were perfect (far from it) but they were satisfactory. He glanced warily in the direction of Longbottom's cauldron, waiting for an explosion.

In fifteen more minutes, the steam from Granger and Malfoy's cauldron had caused their hair to grow more and more unruly, and their faces to be red. Professor Snape watched them an expression that looked suspiciously like reluctant surprise and approval on his face, as well as something else, something secretive. He indulged himself for a moment in contemplating a future that could have been, if he hadn't become a double agent so soon in his career.

"How do you suppose it should be performed?" he heard Draco say curiously.

"Well, antivenin goes in blood. Blood is a cycle, right? I'd say a circle," Granger replied.

"Are you sure?" said his godson with a frown. "You don't think that's too easy?"

Granger smiled. "It doesn't have to be complicated."

Severus was not to see their dark red potion glowing, becoming brighter and brighter until it shone, bright yellow. The correct color, the correct consistency, with the correct wand movement. In that moment, briefly, perhaps just for one second, Snape toyed with the idea of awarding points to Gryffindor.

But before he could step forward and congratulate Draco for his hard work, his sixth sense alerted him of a danger to his right. He turned sharply with narrowed eyes and knew instinctively that Longbottom's cauldron was about to explode. Severus grew slightly pale. Potter was directly in front of the cauldron. If it exploded, there was a distinct possibility of permanent scarring, if not fatal wounds. The last thing he heard was Granger's voice ("The potion, Draco, we have to put it in a phial, otherwise we'll lose it!") before he lunged to move Lily's son out of harm's way.

In hindsight, he could have used a spell. But even for a double agent, as rare as it was, emotions could sometimes get in the way of better judgment.

When he woke up, he was in the infirmary, ensconced in blankets and a Stasis Charm. When he breathed in, he winced slightly. It was nothing compared to the pain he'd experienced in the past, but it wasn't necessarily comfortable.

He looked up to see Pomona looking at him with a distinctly concerned expression.

"How are you feeling, Severus?"

"Like an elephant trampled my lungs," rasped Severus sarcastically. "But you knew that already." He coughed, and Madame Pomfrey conjured a glass of water for him. He accepted it with a slight nod of thanks and swallowed it slowly. Once he was done, he set the glass aside.

"Do you remember what happened?" asked Madame Pomfrey.

"No," replied Severus sardonically. "Nor do I have any desire to, Pomona. I have work to do."

Madame Pomfrey's lips twitched. "Mr. Longbottom's cauldron exploded. You took the brunt of the shards and potion in your solar plexus, but the ingredients of the potion healed the abrasions before you arrived."

Severus snorted. "Well, he got that right then."

Pomfrey clasped her hands. "It was Miss Granger who brought you to the infirmary. She was very gentle. She even conjured a stretcher for you."

Severus frowned. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

Madame Pomfrey smiled knowingly. "We all need allies in life, Severus. Sometimes they come from unexpected places."

He looked away uncomfortably. "Is that all, Pomona?"

She sighed disappointedly. "Yes. You're free to go, dear."

Severus nodded sharply and pushed himself up, ignoring the pain as he stood up from the bed. He conjured his robes and uttered a spell which dressed him from head to toe, complete with the fastening of all the buttons, and then left. He cast a quick _Tempus_ , and saw that it was the early evening. _Where is that bothersome Granger girl_ , he thought to himself. He had made a promise to Dumbledore, and he was a man of his word.

He would keep an eye on the girl. Even if he didn't particularly enjoy the prospect.

To Be Continued... Soon!

The portrait of Victor the Vainglorious is mine.

The idea of Granger Ollivander, Master Arithmancer turned Muggle, is mine.

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


	9. Chapter 8

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

This story is going to be slow-burn, not just because of the way it's written, but because I'm struggling to find time to write! But I _will_ update every month, promise!

I wanted to get this written for you guys even if it's not much while I'm working on the BIG chapters coming up!

As promised, here is an update! The first half of Chapter Eight. More to come! Please enjoy.

Much love!

* * *

 **REVIEWS:**

DragonLady10: "Very good start! I could actually hear Dame Maggie Smith as I read McGonagall's words."

Dragonlady10: "Nicely done! I really enjoy how you've incorporated what we saw in the movies/read from the books into this chapter. And of course, Dumbledore would know exactly what was going on!"

Dragonlady10: "Very good! I can't decide if Dumbledore in this chapter is more like Harris' or Gambon's version. Either way, it's spot on!"

DragonLady10: "I always imagined there was more to Malfoy than meets the eye. Well done!"

DragonLady10: "Oh, I liked reading this from Snape's perspective! Well done!"

DragonLady10: "Oh, this is good! This is VERY good! I love the idea of Hermione being a Half-Blood. It actually makes more sense, considering that she has been called "the brightest witch" of her time. Well done!"

Dreamweaver88: "Love, Love, LOVE! Snape is still his sarcastic self. the Draco/Hermoine thing was awesome! Can't wait until you update!"

Thank you for all your reviews! It's so appreciated.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

Severus glided down the flights of stairs, robes billowing behind him in the usual fashion, as he contemplated just what he would to do the Granger girl if he caught her doing anything suspicious. Where would the Granger girl be at this hour? Well, there was only one place, of course. The _library,_ thought Snape to himself with a sneer. He changed directions and walked faster. Soon, he arrived at the large oak doors, and pushed them open with a bang.

"Shhhh," hissed an irritable voice. "Who do you think you are, banging and clanging about in such a fashion? Be _silent_ when you open the doors. For Merlin's sake, boy, this is a library, not Diagon Alley."

Snape winced, and deeply buried memories of that voice galvanized him to instinctively blurt out his next words. "Sorry, Madam Pince."

"Hmph," said the sharp-looking woman, looking up pointedly from her books. "As you should be."

"I—" he tried to speak, then swallowed and started again. "I am searching for the Granger girl."

"And _that_ is an excuse for all the noise you just made?" said Pince. Her eyes glittered with amusement and she never broke contact with him. "Hm. Granger's in the back. Restricted Section. Mind that you don't disturb her — she's doing some rather good work, bless her."

He looked at Madam Pince oddly, then nodded and billowed past her. He conjured a lantern, held it high above his head, and entered the Restricted Section. And there she was. Bushy-haired, bent over the table and pouring over tome after ancient tome. The image was so typically Granger that, in spite of himself, Snape couldn't help but snort. She didn't hear him, of course — he was a spy, and when the need arose, he had learned how to make noise without being heard.

Snape leaned forward and peered more closely at what she was doing. Something glinted around the girl's neck — aaah, of course. A time turner. Well, that was unsurprising. He leaned forward more and could hear Granger muttering.

"Tales of Beedle the Bard," said the girl. "That sounds like a children's tale. I'll have to ask Ron about that. Then again, it sounds a bit outlandish. A bit silly, even. Maybe Luna knows more than Ron, she loves this sort of thing."

Snape sneered. The girl had gone mad. Talking to herself like this, one would think she was a distant relative of Sybill Trelawney's. Or not-so-distant. He watched as the girl went silent and flipped pages for several minutes.

"The Peverells came before the Gaunts… best to start there…," continued the Granger girl.

Snape frowned. Peverell? Gaunt? He stepped forward, trying to catch her muttered words. When that failed, he leaned back again and waited. Soon enough, the Granger girl let out a joyful whoop. He watched intently as she flicked through the pages of the books that lay strewn on the table. Some minutes later, she stretched and yawned. He watched as she closed the books, turned, and left.

When he was certain that she was gone, he took the three long strides that were necessary to reach the table, set down his lantern, and lifted up each book one by one. _Pure of Blood: A New Genealogy…. Moste Vyle Curses… Seers Through the Ages: A Horrid History….. Purebloods and Hogwarts._ What on Merlin's good Earth was the girl thinking of…? He paused when he spotted a marked off page. He shoved the book open, traced the words with a finger, and froze.

"Acting the hero, are we, Granger? How very Gryffindor of you….," sneered the Professor. "But not anymore."

With his wand he corralled the books into a line, and shrunk them. With another wave of his wand, all of the tiny books came together to form a small cube, which he took in his hand and put into his pocket. Then he picked up his lantern and exited the room. On his way out, he nodded to the pinched-looking librarian, and took extra care to be silent when he closed the doors.

To Be Continued... Soon!

Thank you so much for reading this story by S.H. Brookes!

I would love, love LOVE it if you commented and left reviews on my story.

Aside from original scenes, plots and characters, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

Let me know what you think!

:)


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